The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1887-04-27
THIRTEENTH YEAR.--NO. IA.
Sketch of the Life and Charac-
ter of the Late Gen. Angus
tus Jones, of Texas.
Dubuque (Iowa) Times.


The following is brief sketch Of
the life and character of Gen. Au-
gustus Jones, late of Columbus, Tex
as, deceased, intelligence of whose
death, at the advanced age of ninety
years and six months, at that place,
on the l4th ult., of pneumonia, has
been received in this city by his
brother, Gen. Geo. w. Jones, and
the family of his son, Hon. Wm.
Ashley Jones. Deceased visited
Dubuque in 1874, and has many re
lations and friends here and through
out the United States to lament his
death.
Gen. Augustus Jones was the
third eldest son and child of Hon.
John Rice Jones and Mary Barger,
and was born in the old French town
of Kaxskaskia, now in Illinois, but
then in the Northwestern Territory,
August Is, 1876. He was partially
educated in Roman Catholic schools
in his native place and in Vincennes
(now in Indiana) and partially at
Transylvania university, Lexington,
Kentucky. He removed to ST. LOUIS,
Mo-, in 1910 with his fathers family,
and for many years thereafter was
more or less extensively interested
in mining, smelling, mercantile, mill
ing and planning operations in that
section of the state, where he became
a wealthy land and slave owner. He
at one time was the sole owner Of
the celebrated Iron Mountain. and
realizing the great value of its con
tents, endeavored to form q syndi-
cate of capitalists for the develop
ment of Its riches and the construc-
tion of railroad from there to ST.
| Louis, but he failed to make others
see as he did. He subsequently sold
with other lands this valuable prop
erty, which if kept possession of
would have made him q millionaire,
as it in tune did others.
In early life he was deputy sheriff
of this county and | believe later
represented that county In the state
legislature. An esteemed personal
friend of Gen. Andrew jackson, as
his father was of Jefferson, who APP
pointed that father United States
Judge for Indiana territory, J, he was
! United States marshal of Missouri
during both terms of President Jack
sons administration. During the
period of his marshalship he was the
hero of many daring raids and en-
counters with various gangs of horse
thieves, counterfeiters, fugitive Grim
inals and other outlaws who infested
that section of the country and so
valuable were his services in thin
ming the numbers of such desperate
law breakers in his jurisdiction that
congress felt called upon TO publicly
and formally recognize them by votes
of thanks. He became famous
throughout Missouri and adjoining
states for his wonderful nerve and
daring, and accomplished arrests of
desperate characters and the dispers
ion of nefarious organizations that
very few men could have. effected.
Such indeed was the awe his name
and fame inspired in the minds of
desperadoes, that during this period
and years afterwards he was often
kansas and even in far OIL Texas,
then asylums for outlaws OF every
description, to assist in the capture
OF particularly bad characters. He
knew no such thing as fear, never
shrank from the performance of the
most perilous undertakings, and was
never intimidated or quelled by any
man or men, either in the rigid dis
charge of official duties or in person
al or private affairs. He loved the
excitement of life of dangerous ad
venture, and history of his many
remarkable exploits would fill vol
ume and read more like fiction than
sober narrative OF actual occurrences.
Such spirit would naturally de
light IN military life and matters,
and at very early age his bent IN
this direction practically manifested
itself. The breaking out of the war
with England in 1912 developed the
latent martial passion In the boys
breast, and despite strongest opposi
ton on the part of his father and
friends Of the family, he entered the
regular service as volunteer pri
vate soldier at the age of sixteen,
and served till the end Of the war,
mostly against the Indian allies OF
the British In the north west. Dur
ing late years of reduced circum
stances, brought about by "A too Law
ishly generous hand that recklessly
! bestowed n fortune in money and
lands upon those who had no claim
upon his bounty, he received from
the United States government for
his services in this war, monthly
pension as compliment from a
grateful country for his aid in de
Tending it against its enemies we'll
on toward century ago In the
early epring Of ls47, declining to
accept from the governor Of Missouri
a commission OF major general OF
Missouri volunteers the commission
actually and without his solicitation
having been duly made out and for
warded him from the capital). he
raised a c0m pany Of friends, kindred
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